Stony Family
by Hi I'm Lou
Summary: Life can't be normal when your parents are both superheroes, and your aunt and uncles are secret agents. Rated for some swearing. Reviews are welcome :)
1. Info:

**It's not vital to know all of this.**

**If you don't want to read it, then skip to chapter 2.**

**I just thought that some people may like to know this stuff.**

* * *

Tony still Iron Man, Steve still Captain America

#CoulsonLives

THE WHOLE LOKI/CHITAURI INVASION THING NEVER HAPPENED

NOT REAL AGES, HOW I WOULD SEE THEM

ALL KIDS ARE ADOPTED

* * *

Tony: Daddy

Steve: Baba

Fury: Papa

Coulson: Uncle Phil

Hill: Auntie Maria

Pepper: Pepper

* * *

Each kid tends to gravitate to one parent more than the other

Tony's lot:

Bruce

Steve's lot:

Natasha

Thor

Clint is neutral ground, he doesn't want to choose

* * *

Ages: Adults

Tony: 37

Steve: 30

Fury: 58 (ssssshhhhh)

Coulson: 46

Hill: 34

Pepper: 35

* * *

AL CHILDREN WERE DROPPED ON THE DOORSTEP OF AN ORPHANAGE WHEN THEY WERE AT A YOUNG AGE - NO TRAGIC BACKGROUNDS

Ages: Children (in order of adoption)

Bruce: 12 (adopted 1st, age 5)

Thor: 10 (adopted 2nd, age 5)

Natasha: 8 (adopted 3rd with her biological baby brother, age 4)

Clint: 4 (now 5) (adopted 3rd with his biological big sister, age 6 months old)


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One:**

_* 7 years ago... *_

"Steve?"

"Yeah boo?"

"I need to ask you something. It's really important."

Steve turned to see Tony standing in the doorway to the living room, a serious expression on his uniquely bearded face. Putting down the pencil he was previously sketching with, he turned and patted his lap gently in invitation.

Tony took the hint immediately and went and sat on the younger man's lap, curling up as best he could and pressing his face into the juncture of Steve's neck, breathing in the scent there.

"Now what did you want to talk to me about?"

He received a muffled reply and a look of confusion crossed his face.

"I'm sorry but I didn't get a word of that."

"I said, I want a baby. But not a 'baby' baby because that is way too much work."

"So you want to have a child?"

"Yeah, with you, but only if you want one as well, otherwise what's the point? We don't have to get one if you don't want one, but I've been looking into adoption agencies for a while now but I didn't want to tell you in case you freaked out, which you don't seem to be doing which is a good sign, but seriously Stevo it's up to you. And can we even afford to look after one? And I don't mean money wise, because hello! Billionaire here. But we're Iron Man and Captain America, our lives aren't safe and I don't think Fury would appreciate having to keep a kid at SHIELD while we try to save the world and-"

Steve cut off the mass of rambling with a chaste kiss to Tony's lips.

"I'd love one. With you. I'm glad you told me because I've been thinking about it too."

"You have?"

"Yeah, I want to start a family with you Tony. I have for a while now."

"So we're actually gonna do this? We're gonna adopt and become parents?"

"Yes we are."

Tony beamed and planted a much firmer kiss onto Steve's cheek before squeezing him tightly in a hug.

"I love you." were the three words Tony whispered into Steve's neck.

"I love you too."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

_* Present Day *_

"No running in the house!" Steve yelled, juggling the toddler sized four year old on his hip as he watched his two middle children run through the halls.

"Not a house!" was his smart response.

"Fine then, no running in the tower!"

That drew the two to a halt. Thor and Natasha looked at each other before sighing and making their way back to their father. The much taller blonde child sat on the floor next to the sofa Steve had placed Clint on, whereas Natasha joined her little brother on the cushions.

"JARVIS?"

"Yes sir?"

"Can you get Tony up here please? I trust you to watch him, you know I do, but I really think Tony needs to spend some time with Clint whilst I take these two down to the gym for some sparring lessons."

"Of course sir. Shall I inform him of your, Miss Natasha's and Master Thor's whereabouts?"

"I would appreciate that, thank you JARVIS."

Steve turned to see Natasha and Thor play wrestling on the floor whilst Clint had disappeared. He clapped his hands once and the mock fight broke up immediately, both children jumping to their feet. Steve cocked his head to one side and Natasha instantly pointed upward. He nodded once before he ushered the two out of the room and told them to wait by the door to the gym. Thor beamed and raced toward the lift at the end of the corridor whereas Natasha smirked and followed her big brother. Steve reentered the living room and looked up at the ceiling.

"Clint? Baba's going to play with Nat and Thor in the gym. Daddy and Bruce will be here in a minute okay?"

Clint dropped down from the vent above the sofa, landing on the floor behind it silently.

"Baba?" He murmured quietly, looking up at Steve.

"Yes baby?"

Clint was silent for a few moments before he shook his head. Steve nodded once more and dropped a kiss onto the mop of sandy blonde hair before striding away toward the elevator. He bumped into his boyfriend as Tony and their eldest emerged from the lift, an animated conversation about physics flitting between the two. Tony briefly stretched away from Bruce to catch a kiss from Steve as he passed, before returning his attention to the brunette boy.

"Great work Bruce! I think that will work perfectly once we apply your new formula to the metal's composition." Tony finished their conversation with a confident smile and a gentle squeeze to Bruce's shoulders.

"Thanks Dad, I just hope it's finished before Friday."

"Why Friday?"

"Dad?! You didn't forget did you?"

Both older males weren't aware of the fact that Clint was watching them.

"Forget what?"

"It's Clint's birthday on Friday! You said you wouldn't forget!" Bruce almost yelled, outrage ringing through his tone.

"Oh my god, I knew I was forgetting something but then your Baba said that if I forgot about it, then it wasn't important."

"Well that's bad advice."

"Yeah, you should tell him that."

"Yeah, because I want him to ground me and stop me from using the labs for being insolent!" Bruce snarked, smirking at his dad.

"Fair point. How about neither of us tell him, but instead go and get something to eat?" Tony suggested, already grabbing his and his son's jackets.

"Oh that sounds like a good plan, I'm starving!"

The two made their way back down the corridor and into the elevator at the end, neither of them noticing the forlorn four year old standing on the back edge of the sofa.

Clint sat down, a frown on his face before he whispered into the room,

"JARVIS?"

"Yes Master Clint?" the AI responded in a similar volume.

"Can you not tell Baba or Daddy - I mean Steve or Tony - where I am please?"

"Are you sure Master Clint?" the AI sounded concerned.

"Just Clint is okay, JARVIS. I'm not leaving the tower. I just don't want people to know where I am."

"As you wish Master Clint."

Clint nodded once in thanks before crouching and jumping up onto the step JARVIS had provided from the vent above the sofa. Crawling into the space above, he set off for the roof via the duct system.

* * *

_* one hour later... *_

The elevator opened with a soft whoosh as Tony and Bruce stepped out laughing. They stopped immediately when they saw Steve sitting on the sofa cuddling a crying Natasha to his right side and rubbing a sniffling Thor's back with his left hand. The oldest child ran over to his siblings and gave his eight year old sister a hug whilst squeezing Thor's shoulder comfortingly. Steve stood up, leaving his children to comfort each other as he nodded toward the kitchen. Tony took the hint instantly and headed in that direction.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

"Babe, what's wrong with them?"

Steve's look of despair turned to one of desperation and slight annoyance as he stared at Tony.

"Wrong question to ask there boo."

"What? I don't understand, but seriously, why are they so upset?"

"One, the question you should be asking is 'where is my baby boy? I haven't seen him all day and he wasn't with you three, so where is he?'. Two, they're upset because they can't find their little brother!"

"Shit."

"Shit indeed. Where was he when I asked you to go spend time with him whilst I took the middle ones down to spar?"

"Double shit."

"Tony?"

"I didn't _actually_ spend time with him. I didn't even see him. I was still talking with Bruce about the new metallic composition he wants for the bow and arrows he's making and he said he wanted it finished before Friday. I asked him why and he told me I'd forgotten. I asked what, he said it's Clint's birthday on Friday and then I said I knew I was forgetting something. I then told him what you'd told me and he said that it's bad advice. It is by the way. I told him he should tell that to you, so he said no because he didn't want to be grounded and banned from the labs due to insolence. We both agreed on not telling you and then went out for lunch."

"So you didn't even say hi to him?! Was he watching you when you were saying all of this?"

"I don't know, I didn't see him."

"Boo, haven't you learned? He's so quiet you never see or hear him until he's about to give you a heart attack!"

"Shit! He probably heard that I'd forgotten his birthday and that me and Bruce didn't even say hi to him. Babe, I bet he thinks we don't care!"

"We need to find him."

Tony nodded and looked up to the ceiling in despair.

"Sirs?"

"Not now JARVIS!" Tony snapped.

"It's about Master Clint, sir."

"Go on." Steve prompted before shooing Tony into the living room to comfort the kids.

"Master Clint has been hiding on the roof for the past 54 minutes and he was rather upset when he set off. May I suggest that you go and collect him before it gets dark outside?"

"Shit, it's nearly seven now isn't it? I'll go and get him. Actually, Tony can go get him."

With a final nod to the ceiling, Steve made his way into the living room and headed over to the sofa where Tony and the three older children were cuddling and two out of the three were sniffling. Stroking a hand through his 10 year old's long hair, he briefly caressed his eight year old's curls before squeezing his 12 year old's shoulder. He leant down and whispered in Tony's ear the location of their youngest and then took over as comforter to the young girl and two boys.

Tony virtually sprinted to the elevator, sliding in and tapping his foot impatiently as it took him to the top floor. He sped through the glass doors and up the outside staircase before leaping onto the roof and letting his eyes scan the surface in search for his baby boy. Nothing. The roof was empty.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

"Tony."

Tony spun round on his heel in search of the source of the quiet sound. He came up short when he saw nothing.

"Clint? You up here baby boy?"

"Tony. Go away. I don't want to talk to you or Ba- I mean Steve."

Tony made his way closer to the spot where the voice came from.

"Clint, baby, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry! Please come out, everyone's downstairs and crying. Nat is heartbroken!"

"Why?"

Tony frowned, confusion passing over his face.

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't everyone be upset that you went missing?"

There was a pause and Tony swore he heard a sniffle but he couldn't be sure. He continued trying to find the direct location of his son.

"No one wants me anyway. You and Steve don't want me. Tasha was going to leave me. Thor and Bruce don't want me. Only JARVIS does and he can't actually do anything. Just leave me alone!"

The fact that the last sentence was yelled, made tears spring to Tony's eyes, and finally shattered his resolve as he launched himself at the large vent cover sitting two feet in front of him. He ripped the cover off and scooped the reluctant child into his arms and held him against his chest as he cried.

Clint lay limp, not pulling away but not snuggling in either. He didn't understand why Daddy had forgotten his birthday, he remembered everyone else's; he even remembered Papa's! Clint frowned. Obviously Daddy didn't love him, but Baba didn't either. Baba was the one who told Daddy that if he'd forgotten then it wasn't important. That meant that Baba thought that he wasn't important. Add all this to the fact he'd overheard Daddy and Baba saying that they hadn't technically expected to adopt him and it added to his proof. He'd overheard them saying that they'd only wanted a little girl to complete the family and they'd wanted Natasha; they only got him because the adoption agency hadn't wanted to separate them. Bruce and Thor constantly threatened to get Daddy and Baba to send him back every time he accidentally snuck up on them; he couldn't help being quiet!

Tony let his tears fall as he heard Clint mumbling his thoughts out loud. Each one dripped into the mop of dark blonde hair beneath his chin and slight tremors shook his frame (and Clint's) as he tried to keep sobs from leaving his chest. How could his little boy think so low of himself? He was four years old for god's sake! Tony carried the silent child back down from the roof and onto the top floor of the tower. He was actually surprised to find that Clint wasn't crying; he was calm, eerily calm.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

This calmness continued right up until the moment Clint saw Natasha's tears. Then the floodgates were open. Snivelling turned to sniffling turned to full blown sobbing, Clint struggling to get out of Tony's arms. With great reluctance, Tony let go and watched sadly as Clint ran to his big sister, his only blood relative left.

Natasha leapt off the sofa and sprinted to her baby brother. She scooped him up into her arms, murmuring to him that everything would be okay and she wouldn't let him get sent back, that she'd never let him get sent back, that she'd never leave him.

Tony and Steve watched the two with fondness in their eyes but sorrow in their hearts. Tony was genuinely baffled as to how Clint could think that of himself. He'd also made a vow to talk with his two eldest children as well. Steve just wanted to go and scoop up his baby boy, what Tony had told him was soul destroying. He watched as Natasha comforted her little brother into a fitful sleep, the toddler sized child clinging to her, sleepy mumblings of "please don't leave me" falling from his lips.

Natasha looked up at her Daddy and her Baba, rage and sadness clouding her eyes as she gestured for one of them to put Clint to bed.

Steve stepped forward and gathered the tiny boy into his arms, cuddling him to his chest before carefully and quietly making his way toward the elevator. Once in the lift, he pressed the button for the children's floor and then looked down at Clint. Brushing back soft sand coloured locks, he pressed a kiss to the small forehead and then one to the tiny nose before stepping off the elevator and making his way to the end of the hall. Walking through the mess that was his kids' common lounge area, he frowned as he saw all of the toys Natasha and Thor had left out, as well as all of the equipment Bruce had left laying around. His frown deepened when he realised there was a severe lack of Clint's belongings making an appearance anywhere on the floor. Steve turned left after clearing the living room and then turned right at the end of the corridor that lead to Clint and Natasha's rooms.

Opening the door on the left, Steve stepped into the open plan room and instantly headed for the large circular hammock hanging in the middle of the room, the alternative bed overflowing with pillows. He set Clint down gently before wandering around.

Large floor to ceiling windows made up one wall of the rectangular room, a breathtakingly beautiful view of the city skyline creating a perfect backdrop for every romantic movie that could ever be made. Aside from the hammock bed that acted more as a nest, there was very little that took up a large amount of space within the room. The wall opposite the windows was home to a rope, knotted several times in order to create substantial footholds, that lead up toward a large alcove padded with cushions and blankets. Often after a nightmare, either him or Tony would go in to check on their youngest and find the boy curled up in that alcove. After a while, the pillows and soft blankets stayed put. On the wall opposite the door, there was a small walk-in wardrobe next to a large chest of drawers, though not one actually held clothes. Of the three drawers, one held weapons that SHIELD had provided Clint with after him telling them he wanted to become an agent when he grew up. A second drawer was filled with all of the technological toys and trinkets Tony had made for him over the years. The third and final drawer contained only a few pictures of Clint and Natasha's biological family, as well as the abundance of photographs of their adoptive one. There were singles of each member, including ones of Fury, Hill, Pepper and Phil, as well as doubles, triples, one of just the kids and one entire family photo.

Steve smiled as he looked back on the day when that photo was taken but it was wiped away when he heard Clint whimper in his sleep. He turned on his heel, stepping away from the open drawer, closing it with his hip as he turned, and rushed over to his distressed child. His heart broke as he heard the muttered words escaping Clint's mouth.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

"Don't send me back... I'm sorry... Please... I'll be louder, I swear!... I'm sorry!"

Steve was sure that his heart was laying in pieces inside his chest. He quickly took out his phone and texted Tony the words their child was sobbing in his sleep before turning his attention back to his boy.

"Clint, baby, wake up. Wake up, come on, wake up baby!" Steve urged, fighting back tears as his child continued to whimper and cry out in his sleep.

Bleary blue eyes fluttered before opening completely, two tiny fists coming up to rub at them. Steve scooped Clint up and hugged him to his chest, a small smile passing over his face as Clint sighed and rested his head against his shoulder, a small thumb working its way into the four year old's mouth. Steve made soothing sounds as he ran his hand up and down his youngest's back before carefully taking a seat in the hammock. Shuffling backward precariously, he settled himself in the centre and leant back against the mass of pillows, moving Clint to lay on his chest comfortably.

"Baba?"

Steve could've twirled around in happiness when Clint didn't call him Steve.

"Yes baby?"

"You're not gonna send me back, right? I'm sorry I made Tasha cry, I won't do it again! Can I stay? Please?"

Steve didn't think it was possible but his heart broke again.

"We were never gonna let you go back, never ever ever! You've always been ours, always! And you'll always be my baby, even when you're 20 something, you'll be my baby boy."

Steve looked down to see a small smile flit over Clint's face as his words sank in.

"I will admit this to you now, when we went to adopt a third child, we wanted a little girl, and we wanted Nat, but as soon as we found out that you two were together, we couldn't bare to separate you. We did think about looking for another little girl, but only because me and Daddy weren't sure if we could look after a baby as young as you were. Though when we looked at your little face, and when the people who were looking after you and Nat put you in Daddy's arms for the first time, you opened your eyes and there was just this thing about you, and me and Daddy looked at each other and said at the same time, 'ours!'. That's when we got you and Nat and took you home to meet Bruce and Thor."

There was a brief pause before the typical quiet response of,

"Baba?"

Right on cue, Steve replied,

"Yes baby?"

"Thank you."

Steve felt tears spring to his eyes as he asked,

"What for?"

"For saying that you always wanted me, and not just Nat."

"Oh my baby boy, you are welcome, you are so so welcome!"

Clint cuddled closer, his tri-coloured eyes closing, and replaced his thumb in his mouth, a small smile evident despite the digit in the way. Steve returned the smile and looked up to the doorway to see Tony standing there, his mouth forming a grim line and clearly indicating that they needed to talk.

* * *

_*previously, downstairs with Tony and the kids...*_

Natasha whirled on her heel to glare at her father, fury blazing in her eyes and her face nearly as red as her curls.

"Why?!" she demanded.

"Natasha, calm down please. I need to have a talk with your brothers and then you can take out your frustrations on me in the gym. Okay?" Tony sighed, looking his daughter in the eyes.

Natasha nodded sharply once before storming toward the elevator.

Tony turned to his eldest sons and frowned at them. He pointed to the sofa and gestured that they sit down. Once his boys were seated, he started pacing, trying to get his thoughts into some semblance of an order. Frown marring his face, forehead wrinkled in a scowl, he turned quickly and faced his stricken looking sons.

"Either one of you want to explain why Clint seems to think that me and Baba are going to send him back?"

Silence.

"No? Apparently, you two seem to think it's okay to tell a four year old that his parents are going to send him away because 'he's too quiet'. Your Baba has texted me the following words: 'Don't send me back', 'I'm sorry', 'Please', and 'I'll be louder, I swear!'. Do you know why he sent me these?"

Two heads shook in the negative.

"These are the words that your little brother was crying out in his sleep, because he's been given the impression that due to the fact he has a tendency to be too quiet and accidentally sneak up on people, we are going to send him back to the orphanage we got him from the next time he scares one of us. Now why would he think that, hmm?"

"We didn't mean it." Thor mumbled, blonde hair shielding his face.

"So that makes it okay then, does it?"

"That's not what we meant! Dad, we only said it because he always sneaks up on us when we're doing something that needs concentration or for us to be careful. We thought this way he'd stop scaring us!" Bruce tried to explain.

"Yeah, every time I'm about to sneak up on Nat, he pops up and makes me jump. Nat hears me and then she beats me! It's not fun getting beaten by your little sister!" Thor whined, not caring that it was unbecoming of a 10 year old.

"Whenever I'm in the middle of an experiment at my desk in our living room, I look up and see him watching me and it makes me go wrong and add too much or spill it! I haven't gotten any work done at all!"

Tony stared at his boys in quiet contemplation before responding.

"Would you rather he be overly loud? Or whiny? Or attention seeking? Or messy? Or annoying?"

That drew the two children up short. They looked at each other in an attempt to drag an answer up between them. The near silent padding of feet indicated that they'd been joined by Natasha.

The little red head looked up at her Daddy and smiled, showing that he was forgiven as she leant against his leg. Tony rested his hand on her curls, gently carding his fingers through the red tresses as he smiled back at her.

"Do you know why Clint's so quiet?"

Natasha's soft voice startled her brothers.

"He's quiet because he doesn't want to be a nuisance. It's probably my fault."

"Nat, how could it be your fault?"

"When we first got adopted by you and Baba, even though Clint was only a baby, I used to say to him "we have to be quiet, don't cry, we have to be quiet or they'll get annoyed and send us back." After the first year and a half, I realised that you weren't gonna send us back if we were loud. Looking at Thor and Bruce and the noise they made, I knew you weren't gonna send us back, but I still told Clint to be quiet, just in case because we hadn't been here that long."

The rest of them were quiet as Natasha finished her explanation. Thor and Bruce had guilt plastered all over their faces as they realised they'd only been contradicting what Clint had been told, probably confusing the small boy. Tony realised that it explained so much about why Clint was such a good and quiet baby.

"Natasha, it isn't your fault."

Tony turned to his sons.

"I think that you two need to apologise to your brother. You can do that later though, he's asleep at the minute. Now, punishments are to be for you Thor, no TV or sparring for a week and the guilt that you clearly feel. Bruce, no TV and you're banned from the labs for a week unless it's for the project you're working on for Clint's birthday, even then it's only an hour a day; don't forget the guilt as well. Nat, you come with me. You two go do the homework that I know Papa set you."

After watching his boys scamper off to the kitchen to do their work, he took Natasha's hand and lead her to the elevator.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

Tony and Natasha entered the lift in comfortable silence. Stepping off less than a minute later at the children's floor, the two made their way toward Natasha and Clint's bedrooms. Tony turned to his daughter.

"Nat, can you wait here a minute?"

The girl nodded.

Tony entered Clint's bedroom and closed the door quietly behind him. He looked over at the hammock he'd had specially installed and smiled softly at the scene in front of him. When he caught Steve's eye, his smile vanished and was replaced by a grim line, a clear indication that the two needed to talk.

* * *

Steve sighed.

"Where do you want to do this? Our room? The hall? Nat's room if she lets us?"

"Our room, definitely, but not now. I just want to spend time with my baby boy. Him and Nat. Scooch over would you?"

Steve did as asked and shifted Clint to lay between them.

"Nat!" Tony called, wrapping an arm around Clint and tugging the sleeping child to his side.

The door opened and Natasha's head peaked round. She smiled as she saw her little brother cocooned with their parents and shook her head softly.

"I'm going to practise my gymnastics downstairs. If you need me, JARVIS can tell me."

With that, she left.

"She's growing up so fast." Steve whispered, stretching the arm around Clint's shoulder to encompass Tony in the embrace as well.

Tony nodded his agreement, stealing their child from Steve and placing him on his chest, the blue of the arc reactor, through the thin t-shirt he wore, glowing against Clint's cheek. The child stirred as he was jostled, but settled down against Tony, the thumb in his mouth never moving.

Steve shuffled across so that he could wrap both Tony and Clint in his arms, a kiss being dropped to both smaller males' foreheads. He reached down and dragged the thin quilt over the top of all three of them, squishing the pillows beneath their heads to make it more comfortable.

"JARVIS?"

"Yes sir?"

"The function I first installed when we got this bed still works right?"

"Of course it does sir."

"Can you set it to gentle?"

"Certainly sir."

Steve was nearing an unconscious state of sleep when he realised that the hammock was being rocked from side to side, ever so gently, and that they were all nodding off. He smiled as he thought of Tony's genius, Bruce's intellect, Thor's optimism, Natasha's tenacity and Clint's sweet personality. He smiled even more when he realised they were all his.

* * *

_*a few hours later...*_

Steve awoke, albeit slowly, to something warm laying on his chest, something else warming his side and another warm thing by his legs. Opening his eyes, the blue dulled by sleep, he saw that Clint had, at some point, sprawled himself out from Tony's arms and across the two of them.

One of his little legs hanging out of the quilt, his foot sitting on Tony's left shoulder, Clint had his other leg lay near Tony's ribs and his arms rested under his head on Steve's chest.

Steve looked to his right and saw that Natasha had snuck in at some point during their sleep and had plastered herself against his side, her curls tucked under his chin. He glanced toward his feet and saw Thor hugging his legs, the blonde locks resembling a lion's mane around his head. He looked around his four year old and saw that Bruce had come in as well, mirroring Natasha, only on Tony's left side. He smiled once more and fell asleep, surrounded by the ones he loved.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight:**

_*Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday, everybody's looking forward to the weekend, weeken-*_

**BANG!**

"Natasha, what have we told you about shooting Daddy's radio?"

The nearly nine year old sighed.

"To not to."

"And?" Steve prompted.

"No guns in the kitchen."

"That's right. Now, why did you shoot the radio?"

"Three reasons. One, I hate that song. Two, Clint hates that song even more. Three, it's his birthday today and I want him to be happy."

Steve blinked. They were all pretty valid reasons to shoot the radio.

"Fine, you're off the hook. Just don't do it again!"

Natasha nodded once before heading to the elevator. Steve watched her go with a smile on his face.

Entering the lift, Natasha pressed the button for their floor, her foot tapping impatiently the entire journey. Stepping off the elevator, she made her way through the mess that was their living room and down the corridor where her and Clint's bedrooms were. A smile crept over her face as she realised that her baby brother was turning five. She opened the door and crept in, shutting it quietly behind her. Then her smile faded.

His bed was empty. The pillows that were normally padding the hammock were strewn around the floor, not one still inside the bed. All of the blankets were on the floor as well, but mostly due to hanging over the sides of the hammock.

Natasha looked up and frowned as she saw her little brother curled up in the alcove; "Nightmare Corner" as it had been dubbed by her parents. She carefully walked over to the rope and climbed up, peaking into the gap.

"Clint?" she whispered, poking his shoulder gently.

"Tasha?"

Blue eyes opened, filled with a sleepy haze, as Clint blinked owlishly to stare back at his sister.

Natasha smiled softly.

"What are you doing up here, eh?"

"I was too hot, Tasha. It's colder up here."

Natasha mentally sighed in relief, thankful that it wasn't a nightmare that had driven Clint up into the alcove.

"Well come on then silly, Baba's making pancakes for breakfast!"

"Really?"

"Yes really, otherwise I wouldn't have told you."

Natasha climbed down and waited for her little brother to follow before leading them out of Clint's bedroom and onto the lift to go down to the main floor. Once at their destination, she lead them into the kitchen where they met the rest of the family.

"There's my baby boy!" Tony cheered, rushing over to scoop up said child before taking a seat with the boy on his lap.

"I'm not a baby anymore. I'm five now!" Clint proclaimed loudly, scowling at his Daddy.

"Nope, still my baby."

Clint huffed and dug his foot into his Daddy's leg whilst his elbow hit ribs. Tony yelped in pain and then gasped to Steve in mock horror.

"Steve! He just hurt me on purpose!"

"Did he? I didn't see him do anything. Thor, did you see him do anything?"

"No, Baba. Bruce, did you?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Nat?"

"Daddy, I think you're imagining things. You should get JARVIS to give you a head scan."

Each family member smiled wider when they saw Clint laughing away on Tony's lap. The newly turned five year old stood up on his Daddy's legs and spun round to face Tony. Throwing his arms around Tony's neck, Clint hugged him tightly and whispered in his ear.

"I'm sorry Daddy."

"I was only playing silly! It didn't even hurt."

Steve snickered at Tony's blatant lie from where he was flipping pancakes.

"Yes, well no matter whether it did or didn't and whether it happened or not, I think it's time for someone's birthday breakfast!"

Clint giggled as his Baba set a stack of pancakes in front of him, each one perfectly golden and topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles; his favourite.

Once everyone had been served and everyone was seated around the marble island, the family dug in

* * *

"Daddy, I'm done."

"Thor, how on Earth did you manage to finish about eight pancakes in five minutes?"

"I was hungry."

The boy shrugged, smiling at the sight of Clint with whipped cream on his nose and sprinkles on his cheeks. He nudged his siblings and then his Baba. They all smiled as well, before Steve stood up to fetch a camera.

"Boo, Clint, look this way for the first of many birthday photos. Say cheese!"

The two smiled, both completely oblivious to the mess on Clint's face.

* * *

"Sirs?"

"Yes JARVIS?"

"There's been a security breech on level-"

"Now Stark, you haven't had JARVIS say that every time I show up here, have you?"

"Why Agent, do you even know me?" Tony winked from where he was sat with the kids on the floor.

"Uncle Phil!" was chorused by all children, each rushing up to hug the man who normally wore the crispest of suits; a plain black collarless jumper over a white t-shirt with some dark jeans made a nice change.

"Yes, yes, it is me. Now where's the birthday boy?" Phil asked, crouching down to Clint's level.

Clint shyly stepped forward, his arms outstretched for a hug. Phil wrapped his arms around the small boy and hugged him to his chest whilst standing up, before shifting the boy to sit on his shoulders. Clint squealed with laughter, his little hands gripping onto Coulson's, the older holding them level with his head for Clint's balance.

Steve collected the bags from where Phil had dropped them to pick up Clint, carrying them over to the corner where a pile had already been started.

"Are Papa and Auntie Maria coming as well, Uncle Phil?" Bruce asked, sitting on Coulson's left side.

"Maria said she had to file some paper work that a certain someone,"

He glared playfully in Tony's direction, causing the kids to giggle,

"Hadn't completed. But she will definitely be coming. As for your Papa, I have no idea, he's never late normally." Phil finished, bringing Clint off his shoulders to sit in his lap.

The sound of heavy footsteps, echoing down the hallway, alerted everyone that the aforementioned guest had arrived. The normally gruff exterior had been replaced with a loving smile and kind eye, the eyepatch not having as menacing an appearance as normal. Nicholas 'Nick' Fury stepped through the doorway, his intimidating personality completely replaced by that of a caring surrogate grandfather.

"Did I hear people talking about me?"

"PAPA!" four voices yelled, though one was easily identified as the quietest, as feet slammed on carpeted flooring.

Nick knelt down, carefully putting down the wrapped gifts he was carrying, his arms open wide enough to allow the four kids to greet him with hugs. With Bruce wrapped in his right arm, Thor in his left and Natasha hugging his chest, he almost frowned when he realised he didn't feel the smallest pair of arms around him. When two little hands grabbed the material covering his shoulders, he smiled as he felt Clint pull himself up his back to wrap his arms around his neck.

"There's the last of my little ones."

Tony and Steve shared a fond smile at the changed attitude of their boss, both knowing fully well that he would be having a NERF fight with them all later.

"Papa?"

"Yes littlest one?"

"Are those for me?"

Nick looked round to see Clint pointing at the presents he'd put down in order to hug the children.

"Is it your birthday?" he teased.

Confusion crossed Clint's face and his bottom lip protruded in a pout.

"Yes they're yours! I'm sorry, I shouldn't be teasing the birthday boy."

Clint beamed and hugged his Papa again, before climbing down carefully and going to sit by his Baba. Steve waited for the inevitable question.

"Baba?"

"Yes baby?"

"Is Pepper coming?"

That brought Steve up short. Other than his parents, Pepper was Clint's favourite; he hadn't seen her in over two weeks. Steve shot a look at Tony, knowing that he'd been listening in, and asked with his eyes. Tony smiled reassuringly so Steve responded in kind.

"I think so, baby. We'll just have to wait and see."

"Sirs?"

"Sì JARVIS?" Tony answered, putting on a Spanish accent to make the kids laugh.

"Miss Potts and Agent Hill have arrived, sir."

Clint beamed at the sound of the elevator, before surprising everyone as he ran full speed in order to fling himself into Pepper's arms as she stepped out of the lift. Curling his hands into her blouse, he nuzzled his face into her neck as she wrapped her arms around the small boy.

Pepper looked up at Tony as if to ask about the unusual behaviour. The man shrugged in response but smiled in greeting.

"Hey everyone." she called over to the group, before turning her attention back to the child in her arms.

Clint pulled his face away from her neck long enough to whisper,

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, little man, I missed you too. Happy birthday though!"

"Thank you."

As soon as his feet hit the floor, Clint reached up to grab Pepper's hand, gently pulling her over to the sofas and chairs that made up the living room. He climbed into Hill's lap and hugged her round the middle whilst greeting her with,

"Hi Auntie Maria."

"Hey boo-boo! Good birthday so far?"

"Yeah, Baba made pancakes!"

"Were they good pancakes?"

Clint just gave her a look that plainly said 'they're Baba's pancakes, of course they were good!'.

Tony clapped his hands, dragging everyone's attention to him before he cleared his throat.

"I believe, now that everyone is here to bear witness to it, that now is the perfect time for the presents to be opened!"

He grinned in Clint's direction, winking at him when he saw a red blush stain the tips of his ears.

* * *

**A/N:** yes, I know it's unlikely but I wanted each person to have a favourite auntie, uncle or papa and Pepper ended up being Clint's, even though Phil would make more sense. Deal with it.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

The present opening was a brilliant affair, a huge range of presents being unwrapped and appreciated by the small five year old.  
From his Papa, Clint had received a brand new Barrett (50 cal.), as well as some tiny combat boots.  
From his Uncle Phil, he'd received a SHIELD issue hoodie (specially made to the small boy's size) and two new blankets for his "nest".  
From his Auntie Maria, both a Glock 19 and a Sig Sauer 223 had been opened as well as a box of ammunition for each.  
From Pepper, Clint had received a lot more than he'd been expecting in about seven new outfits (including shoes, hats, etc.), ranging from casual lounging around clothes to formal dinner suits for fancy occasions that Tony was often forced to drag the kids to. His favourite though, had to be the navy converse and matching beanie, which Pepper had paired with a pair of red jeans and a navy T-shirt with his Baba's shield on it. Tony huffed at this until he saw the Iron Man onesie at the bottom of the pile.  
"Clint, show Pepper how much you love your new pjs. Go on, show her."  
"Tony." Steve chastised gently, laughing as Clint dragged the onesie on the floor to the kitchen, before reemerging a few moments later dressed as his Daddy.  
"Oh my baby boy, you look fantastic! Let me get a photo!"  
Tony grabbed the camera Thor held out to him. He then took more photos than strictly necessary of Clint in his Iron Man onesie, laughing as Clint's typically shy persona disappeared as he struck some very Tony-like poses. Each adult shared a smile as they witnessed the shyest of the children come alive, despite the mass of attention he was receiving and despite the distinct fact that Clint normally preferred hiding in the vents than being extroverted.  
After the photos had been taken and everyone was socialising and catching up on recent events, Clint slowly circuited the room, being passed from lap to lap so that he could whisper his thanks into the ears of his family.  
Steve stood up and coughed slightly, so as to gain everyone's attention, before making his statement.  
"Now, today is a big day for Clint. Now you're five! Me and Daddy thought that at this age, you're old enough to start sparring with your older brothers and sister."  
Tony interrupted him.  
"I also thought that now would be a great age for you to learn how to use Daddy's suits, but a certain Baba said no. So instead, I got you this."  
After making a grand gesture with his arms, he called out to his AI.  
"JARVIS, bring in Clint's new car."  
"Right away sir. Oh, and a happy birthday to you Master Clint."  
"Thank you JARVIS." both Tony and Clint muttered to the ceiling.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

Clint's jaw dropped when he saw the gift his Daddy was talking about. His large blue eyes welled up with tears before he turned and threw himself at his Daddy's legs, hugging them tightly and repeatedly muttering his thanks over and over.

Tony crouched down and scooped his youngest son into his arms, pressing kisses to the side of his head and peppering his hair with them. Steve made his way over to the pair and wrapped his arms around them both, adding his own mutterings in response to his child.

The rest of the family watched on, smiling softly before they all (one by one) joined in on the hugging fest. Nick grabbed Natasha and lifted her up to be the same height as Clint, the girl wrapping her arms around her baby brother and whispering in his ear,

"This is what family's do for each other Clint, we should be used to it by now, you silly sausage!"

* * *

After the bordering on overly emotional cuddle session was over, Steve broke off and veered into the kitchen, reemerging two minutes later with a large chocolate birthday cake balancing precariously on his arms; five candles adorned the top (two red, one gold, one blue and one white).

After the entire family had finished singing, Clint closed his eyes tightly and made his wish, before blowing the candles out and beaming up at his Baba and Daddy who were standing to his left and right.

"Now that that's done, Bruce? You wanna get your present from the labs? Nat and Thor, you wanna get yours too?"

After receiving three nods, Tony dismissed his children and watched as Fury turned Clint upside down whilst carrying him back into the living room, the child's squealing laughter bringing a soft smile to his face. The two women and Phil, all three sensing the need for a private moment between the parents, turned and followed their boss and friend, chuckling as Clint continued to giggle.

"What's up Boo? You seem all down."

"What? Oh no, it really is nothing, I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of the parents we've become."

Tears welled up in Steve's eyes as he stared at his boyfriend, before launching forward and wrapping Tony up in a bone crushing hug.

"I know right? I mean, how did we get so lucky? We have four little angels, FOUR of them!"

Tony chuckled, returning the hug and pressing a kiss to Steve's cheek. He reached out to grab one of the younger man's hands before pulling him back into the living room.

* * *

The level of noise that greeted them was not what they were expecting. Thor and Natasha were wrestling on the floor, arguing loudly as they did so, both heads of longs hair being pulled and faces scratched at. Pepper and Phil were trying to calm down a worked up Bruce and a tearful Clint, whilst Fury was grabbing Thor around the waist and Maria was trying to avoid being bitten by Natasha.

The two parents exchanged bewildered looks before Steve stuck two fingers in his mouth and let out a sharp whistle.

"OI! Would you two stop that?! You're working up one brother and making the other one cry!" Tony snapped, a disapproving glare being cast over the two children who were fighting.

"Now," Steve started calmly, "What on earth were you two fighting about?"

When neither child offered an answer, Tony sighed and wiped a hand across his face before taking a seat on the sofa between Clint and Bruce.

"You know what? Just leave it. Apologise to each other, then to Papa and Auntie Maria, then to your brothers. It's Clint's birthday and we should make the best of the rest of the day, yeah?"

At the nods he received, he glanced down to his right where Clint was snuggling into his side and grinned at the small smile plastered on his son's face.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven:**

After the small spat between Thor and Natasha had been resolved through numerous apologies, the rest of Clint's birthday went by smoothly and fun filled. As predicted, even Nick joined in with the NERF fight that split the family into three, each team having matching coloured weapons. The presents from his siblings all had Clint beaming in joy and sharing hugs; Bruce's present of a bow and a quiver full of arrows was greatly appreciated.

As the day began to wind into evening, the children became more subdued so it was decided that a films would be shown on the huge plasma screen until all four were sleeping.

Tony and Steve sat side by side on the large sofa, bodies pressed together from shoulder to hip, Steve's arm looped around Tony's shoulders. Clint lay sprawled across the two of them, soft baby snores escaping every so often, his small frame fitting easily across his parents as his head rested in the crook of his Daddy's arm, one of his Baba's hands warming his bare feet. Bruce sat to Tony's right, pressed back into the soft cushions, attention completely on the film as Natasha leant against his shoulder. Thor sat to Steve's left, his back to his father's ribs and his chest cuddled by the arm holding his little brother's feet. In another chair, Pepper and Phil sat sharing a bowl of popcorn and a large blanket, Pepper's legs curled up on the opposite side to where Phil sat. On the remaining and smaller sofa sat Maria and Nick, each sat at opposite ends, both having their full attention on the movie playing.

JARVIS took a photo, knowing it would be appreciated at a later stage in the night, happy in the knowledge that the family was content, warm and safe.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve:**

"Baba?"

"Yes baby?"

There was a slight pause.

Steve turned around, looking down at Clint and seeing uncertainty plastered on his face.

"You'll come back, right?"

Steve was taken aback by the question, before he smiled softly and knelt down to look Clint in the eyes.

"I can't promise that me and Daddy will always come back, and I can't promise that we'll never get hurt. I CAN promise you that with all my heart and Daddy's arc reactor, we will try our best to come home every time."

"Baba?"

Steve smiled, knowing that this new conversation meant that Clint understood. He responded as usual.

"Yes baby?"

"Are we going to see Papa and Uncle Phil and Auntie Maria?"

"Yes we are. You and Nat and Thor and Bruce are going to go and stay with Papa on base."

"The flying one?"

Steve suppressed the urge to laugh at the wonderment in Clint's voice.

"Yes baby, the flying one. You are going to stay with Papa, Nat is going to stay with Auntie Maria, Thor is going to stay with Uncle Phil and Bruce is going to go down to the labs, probably to help Eric with something. Okay?"

Clint nodded.

"Baba?"

"Yes baby?"

"Where's Pepper?"

Steve sighed, knowing this would come up sooner or later, and answered truthfully,

"She's at a conference for Daddy's company, but she'll be back to look after you all at the weekend when me and Daddy go away for our anniversary. Okay?"

Clint nodded once more, rubbing his eyes with little fists and yawning.

"Baba?"

Steve tried not to laugh again as the word was elongated in the yawn.

"Yes baby?"

"Love you."

His heart clenched.

"Yeah, I love you too. I love you so so so so much, you know that right? You know me and Daddy love you more than anything?"

Clint nodded and after rubbing his eyes once more, threw himself into his Baba's arms, his tiny feet barely applying pressure to Steve's legs as his arms wrapped around Steve's neck. He rested his face on the broad shoulder in front of him and after one final yawn, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.


End file.
